BTN.com staff, February 3, 2015
We have officially reached the midpoint of the 2014-15 Big Ten conference schedule.
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That being the case, the BTN.com team – consisting of BTN analysts Stephen Bardo and Jess Settles, and BTN.com's Tom Dienhart and Brent Yarina – has released its midsesaon All-Big Ten team and individual honors.
All four contributors picked an All-Big Ten team, in addition to a Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player.
View the final results below.
All Big Ten: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (4); D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (4); Yogi Ferrell, Indiana (4); D.J. Newbill, Penn State (4); Branden Dawson, Michigan State (2)
Player of the Year: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (4)
Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin (2); John Beilein, Michigan (1); Matt Painter, Purdue (1)
Freshman of the Year: D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (4)
Sixth Man of the Year: Gabe Olaseni, Iowa (3); Jae'Sean Tate, Ohio State (1)
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Gasser, Wisconsin (2); Nnanna Egwu, Illinois (1); Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (1)
Most Improved Player: Malcolm Hill, Illinois (2); Marc Loving, Ohio State (1); Troy Williams, Indiana (1)
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Here's how all four of our contributors voted.
STEPHEN BARDO (@stephenbardo)
All-Big Ten: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin; D.J. Newbill, Penn State; Jake Layman, Maryland; Yogi Ferrell, Indiana; D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State
Player of the Year: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. He gets every team's best shot at stopping or slowing him down, and he has become stronger and more consistent the longer the season goes. His ability to touch every aspect of the game makes him very unique in college basketball.
Coach of the Year: John Beilein, Michigan. To have Michigan in the upper half of the Big Ten conference while losing your leading scorer, rebounder, assist man, steals, FG% leader and more to injury and still take Wisconsin to overtime at home and Michigan State to overtime on the road?
Freshman of the Year: D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State. We knew he could score, but his ability to rebound and assist teammates has been very underrated. He's averaging almost 10 rebounds per game in his last three games.
Sixth Man of the Year: Gabe Olaseni, Iowa. If he played 28-30 minutes per game, he might be among the league leaders in points and rebounds. He averages close to a double-double in just over 20 minutes per game.
Defensive Player of the Year: Nnanna Egwu, Illinois: He's the defensive quarterback of the Illini. His court awareness and communication from the post position is rare. His ability to help defend and recover is the best of any post player in the Big Ten.
Most Improved Player: Marc Loving, Ohio State. He's second in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage, he's played out of position at the stretch 4, and he's taken advantage with his ability to shoot from deep and penetrate against slower defenders.
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JESS SETTLES
All-Big Ten: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin; D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State; D.J. Newbill, Penn State; Branden Dawson, Michigan State; Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Player of the Year: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. He is the Big Ten's best player on the Big Ten's best team.
Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin. His fourth-ranked Badgers are No. 1 in the nation in fewest turnovers and fewest fouls. Now, that, folks, is called coaching!
Freshman of the Year: D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State. In a landslide.
Sixth Man of the Year: Gabe Olaseni, Iowa. Olaseni told me before the season that his only goal was to be the Big Ten Sixth man of the year. Here you go, Gabe!
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Gasser, Wisconsin. He's a smart and tough leader on the Big Ten's top scoring defense.
Most Improved Player: Malcolm Hill, Illinois. A smooth operator who is one of the nation's best sophomores.
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TOM DIENHART (@BTNTomDienhart)
All-Big Ten: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin; Yogi Ferrell, Indiana; D?Angelo Russell, Ohio State; Aaron White, Iowa; D.J. Newbill, Penn State
Player of the Year: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. Can it be anybody but Kaminsky? He has been the guiding force behind the Big Ten?s best team, averaging 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. On top of that, he plays excellent defense and is an unselfish player. Give me 10 of this guy. Please.
Coach of the Year: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin. Yes, that?s correct-Bo Ryan. He has Wisconsin exactly where I thought it would be, running roughshod over the rest of the Big Ten and primed to run away with the conference crown. The Badgers are the lone elite team in the league. Oh, and Ryan is doing all of this as a marked man who has lost his star point guard. Not bad.
Freshman of the Year: D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State. Russell has been as good as advertised, ranking No. 2 in the Big Ten in scoring with a 19.4-point average. Russell is the single biggest driving force behind the Buckeyes? drive to an NCAA bid in a conference filled with boffo freshmen like Indiana?s James Blackmon and Maryland?s Melo Trimble.
Sixth Man of the Year: Jae?Sean Tate, Ohio State. Yes, he recently entered the starting lineup, but he only has three starts to his line. The freshman has been one of the league?s most improved players since the schedule flipped to conference play, averaging 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds, in addition to shooting 59 percent. The Buckeyes feed off his vibe-and production.
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Gasser, Wisconsin. He doesn't put up the eye-popping stats – averaging 0.8 steals and 0.1 blocks – that is often required to win this award. Make no mistake, though, he is a terrific defender who shuts down the opposition and does it without fouling.
Most Improved Player: Troy Williams, Indiana. Williams has upped his scoring from 7.3 points to 13.0. The 6-7 sophomore also shooting at a higher percentage and has improved his rebounding average from 4.4 to 6.3 for an IU team that may be the second-best in the Big Ten.
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BRENT YARINA (@BTNBrentYarina)
All-Big Ten Team: Yogi Ferrell, Indiana; D.J. Newbill, Penn State; D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State; Branden Dawson Michigan State; Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
Player of the Year: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. I know D'Angelo Russell has been extraordinary, but Kaminsky has been as good as advertised, if not better. The guy can do it all. Most important, he's the best player on the best team.
Coach of the Year: Matt Painter, Purdue. Remember when Purdue finished last season 5-13 and in the Big Ten cellar? Well, with much of the same roster, the Boilermakers (6-3) have surpassed last season's Big Ten win total and are in the mix for an NCAA tourney berth. Credit Painter, who has the Boilermakers back to playing hard-nosed defense.
Freshman of the Year: D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State. A couple weeks ago this was a close race between he and Maryland's Melo Trimble. Not anymore, as Russell should win it in a landslide.
Sixth Man of the Year: Gabe Olaseni, Iowa. A reserve only by definition, Olaseni is one of the Big Ten's elite big men. He continues to improve on the offensive end, shooting 55 percent and averaging 8.6 points in just 19 minutes, all while remaining a stout defender who can block (1.8 bpg) or alter shots at will.
Defensive Player of the Year: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. Really, he does it all. The Wisconsin big man isn't just a force on offense, as he's averaging 1.7 blocks and one steal per game.
Most Improved Player: Malcolm Hill, Illinois. Hill is quietly becoming a star. Consider this: Hill's freshman-high was 11 points, and he's equaled or surpassed that total in 17 of 22 games this season en route to averaging 14.6 points; He's not just a scorer, either, adding 5.4 rebounds 1.2 assists and one steal per game.
